CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR PROMOTING SEXUALITY EDUCATION FOR

CARE GIVERS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL GOING LEARNERS IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE.

Background: Caregivers of school going learners in Limpopo Province face numerous

challenges while promoting sexuality education for caregivers of school going learners.
There is lack of knowledge and skills to enhance communication about sexual reproductive
health matters

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for
promoting sexuality education for caregivers of school going learners in Limpopo Province.

Setting: The study was conducted in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Method: Three phases were followed: an empirical phase, a classification of concepts and a
development phase. A conceptual framework was developed based on the results of the
empirical phase, after concepts were classified

Results: The conceptual framework for promoting sexuality education for caregivers of
school going learners in the Limpopo Province was developed, consisting of six
components, namely agents, recipients, context, procedures, dynamics and terminus.

Conclusion: A framework will guide all stakeholders on how to promote sexuality

education for care givers of school going learners in the Limpopo province.

Contribution: The framework serves as a guide for future studies aiming at developing
strategy to promote sexuality education for care givers of school going learners, and further
provide guidance on how caregivers can effectively communicate about sexual health
matters.

Keywords: conceptual framework; promote; caregiver; school going learners; sexuality

education.

Introduction

A conceptual framework is a visual or written product that “explains, either graphically or

in narrative form, the main things to be studied-the key factors, concepts, or variables and
the presumed relationships among them” (Ruseckaite et al. 2019:357). A conceptual
framework, as defined serves as a ‘map’ or ‘rudder’ that will guide one towards realising
one’s own study’s objectives or intent and represents the researcher’s synthesis of the
literature on how to explain a phenomenon.

According to Jegermalm and Torgé (2021:7), caregivers are people whose work involves
providing a face-to-face service that develops the human capabilities of the learner. Human
capabilities means health, skills or proclivities that are useful to oneself or others. Caregivers
acknowledged as the primary source of information that can best influence decision-making
responsive to the learners’ needs. It is therefore evident that the work that caregivers do is
very important and needs to be appreciated and supported at all times. Globally, it is
commonly advocated that promoting sexuality education should be adopted in classrooms
around the world because it is successful at shielding teenagers from sexual health risk. In
African countries, cultural values and taboos weaken the quality of learning and teaching
sexuality education. It is also difficult for teachers to deal with delicate cultural issues when
teaching about sexual health issues.

In the South African context, a caregiver tends to the needs of learners with short- or
longterm limitations. Despite the evidence that parent–child communication is globally
recognised and that caregivers acknowledged as the primary source of information (Nilsson,
2020) that can best influence decision-making responsive to the learners’ needs. However, it
is still a hurdle because of various sociocultural and religious challenges such as sexuality
matters are not discussed because it is a taboo, cultural not acceptable. Furthermore, due to
lack of knowledge and communication skills, low self-efficacy, ignorance and a lack of
concrete information and not excluding parental underestimation of the learner’s sexual
behaviour, these has negative impact in the role of care giver (Aventin et al. 2020:3). Culture
turns out to be a barrier for caregivers to openly discuss sexuality with their learners. They
also felt uncomfortable and believed that discussing sexuality was taboo (Modise, 2019:85).
However, effective and positive communication between caregiver and their learner helps
adolescents to establish individual values and take sexually healthy decisions (Venketsamy
& Kinear 2020:2).

Promoting sexuality education for caregivers of school-going learners in Limpopo Province

is fraught with difficulties. Despite being a basic learner right and a universal human right,
sexuality education has not been widely adopted in either the family or the classroom. By
providing a secure space for learner to ask questions and gain confidence in their own
sexuality, communicating about sexual reproductive health helps them grow as individuals
and as learners. It has been found through a review of the relevant literature that there is a
lack of information and communication skills among caregivers of school going learners in
Limpopo Province (Garoutte, 2022). These unsettling tendencies show that current sexuality
education and intervention efforts are insufficient at best (Leung, et al.,2019:1). While the
goal of sexuality education is to help students secure and protect their rights throughout
their lives by fostering in them the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and values necessary to
make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, cultivate healthy
relationships with others, and contemplate the ripple effects of their actions on themselves
and the world around them. (Wangamati, 2020:56).

Problem statement

For the framework to be deemed successful in enhancing caregivers' health, it must be

adaptable enough to deal with a wide variety of problems. However, this responsibility is
then transferred to the partner or other family members. Parents don't have the tools to talk
to their kids about this sensitive topic, according to a recent study. (Munyai et al., 2022).
Care-givers need to be empowered to have this information so that they can assist the
learner. The care giver's ability to aid the learner depends on their possession of this
knowledge. Therefore, it is important to provide a conceptual framework for care givers of
school going learners in Limpopo Province. Where there is evidence of a conceptual
framework for caregivers, such a framework would be focusing on one challenge without
actually addressing numerous challenges that caregivers encounter, thus providing one and
minimal intervention to improve communication skills of caregivers, so the benefits of the
conceptual framework will extend beyond the Limpopo Province and even the rest of the
country and the world. (Collins et al. 2014:189).

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for promoting sexuality
education for caregivers of school going learners in the Limpopo Province.

Research method and design

Design The research method was one that was qualitative in nature and hence exploratory,
descriptive, and contextual in nature. The design allowed the team to investigate a topic that
had been understudied up to that point. It also gave study participants a chance to help fill
gaps in existing knowledge. There was a lack of knowledge regarding the concerns
caregivers face and the interventions that can be used to enhance sexuality education before
this study was conducted. Researchers concluded that the design aided in their ability to
comprehend participants' experiences as they actually occurred (Burns & Grove 2016:747).
Researchers were able to witness, describe, and record occurrences because to the design
(Polit & Beck 2014:226). Three phases were followed: a qualitative research method, a
classification of concepts and a development of concept.

Phase one: Qualitative Research method

Focus group discussions were conducted with learners and parents while face to face interviews
conducted with teachers

Research instrument

Unstructured interviews conducted to explore and describe experiences of participants regarding

promoting sexuality education for care givers of primary school going learners in Limpopo Province.
Open-ended question was asked to obtain data from the participants the searcher started the interview
by testing what participants understanding with regard to phenomena understudy. What do you
understand by sexuality education?

Parents

‘can you share your challenges regarding sexual health communication with your children?’
Followed by probing questions because the researcher wanted to understand more about
their challenges regarding sexual health communication.

Learners

The interview began with a question on, "what do you understand by sexuality education?" to
ensure that the participant had an understanding of the concept. Then the researcher asked
the main question that directs the Focus Group Discussions: "what are your experiences
concerning the promotion of sexuality education from home and school?" Paraphrasing and
probing follow-up questions were done to deepen the discussions. Probing questions such
as "tell me more about that",

Teachers

One central question was asked. Can you explain your experiences regarding teaching sexuality
education to grade 8 learners in your own words? Probing questions were asked to allow the
participants to describe their experiences thoroughly and to verify what the researcher heard
was what the participant articulated. How you can be supported?

Tell me more about the syllabus?

Setting

Mopani and Vhembe Districts in the Limpopo province were the study areas. Mopani
District is located on the eastern side of the Limpopo province, bordering Mozambique,
while Vhembe District is located on the northern side of the Limpopo province, bordering
Zimbabwe (municipalities.co.za n.d.). These two districts were purposefully selected
because of the high sexual health issues that are prevalent in the district that might be
attested to poor sexual health communication. The researcher approached public secondary
schools with the aim of accessing a population of learners ,teachers and parents through the
school governing bodies and committees.

Population and sampling

The study population comprised caregivers (parents and life orientation (LO) teachers) of
school going learners and grade 8 learners. Participants were all from two districts Mopani
and Vhembe. A non-probability purposive sampling of sixty-four (64) grade 8 learners were
sampled from all selected schools, of which twenty-five (25) were males and 39 females 36-37.
Selecting participants was done on purpose, with an emphasis on examples that shed light
on the study's theoretical underpinnings. The best way to learn about a new subject or to
fully comprehend a challenging experience or event is through in-depth reflection.

Inclusive and exclusive criteria for the two groups of participants are explained next.

Inclusion criteria:

• All grade 8 learners; LO teachers and parents with learners attending school where
the study is conducted at Vhembe and Mopani districts, were included in this study.
Caregivers were known teaching LO more than 5years, parents with learners
attending school where the study is being conducted and grade 8 learners who were
13-15 years. Attending school from at the same school the study was being
conducted and willing to participate.

 Exclusion criteria were all learners who were not in grade 8 and teachers who were
teaching LO and those teaching LO less than five years. Parents who do not have
child attending school were study was being conducted

Data collection

Data were collected from eight (8) focus group discussions grade 8 learners , each group having eight
(8) participants. This method allows a deep understanding of participants' thoughts, opinions,
experiences and rich information. Both male and female participants were interviewed to reach the
maximum uniqueness and data saturation 38. A quite convenient classroom was prepared. Permission
to participate in the study was sought. Data was audio recorded 36,37.

Data were collected by means of a focus group discussion, using an unstructured interview
method. The purpose of using this method was to understand parents’ views regarding
teachers ‘ challenges of sexual health communication among secondary school learners , and
learners experiences of sexuality education in Limpopo province. Different methods to
enhance trustworthiness of data were used such as taking notes, observation and using an
audiotape to reduce bias (De Vos et al. 2017:361). Data saturation was achieved when no
new information was up coming from the focus group discussions, and there was no
substantial addition to the codes and themes being developed (Brink, Van de Walt &
Rensburg 2017:193). Termination of the focus group interviews and face to face interview
occurred after a maximum of two visits for some three visits. Data were collected for a
period of three months (May 2019 – July 2019).

Data analysis

Data was analyzed conceptually, which included reading, coding, and developing themes 17.
Raw data was transcribed verbatim, including observational notes collected from in-depth
face-to-face interviews. Data were condensed and organized into themes and sub-themes to
make sense of the collected data. The researcher approached an experienced qualitative data
coder to analyze the data again, and then an agreement was achieved. A literature control
was presented after data were analyzed to compare the findings of this study 18.

Ethical considerations

Ethical clearance was granted by the University of Venda Ethics committee project code
(SHS/19/PDC/37/2410District managers and principals granted permission. It was decided
that the researcher wouldn't visit schools when students were taking exams and wouldn't
interfere with lessons. Each participant signed a written consent form after being fully
informed. Because the permission procedure protects and promotes study participants'
autonomy, consent is morally mainly justified in terms of autonomy. a succinct explanation
of the study's goals and that participation is voluntary. Based on what they have been
informed, they make a free choice. Once the researcher has information, confidentiality
pertains to what the researcher does with it, specifically how much they disclose to others.
Data will be reported anonymously, the researcher promised; nonetheless, anonymity is
concerned with the attribution of information. Sexuality education is a sensitive topic that
may violate the internal confidentially of the participants, but the researcher depends on
adherence to ground rules and consent procedures. The researchers also mention that no
material should be revealed outside of the interview room (office) as they describe the
study's goal findings.

Trustworthiness

Data credibility was achieved through prolonged engagement with the participants during
focus group discussions. The researcher ensured member checking by giving the transcripts
of the interviews and extracting codes to some of the participants and that the agreement of
their opinion with that of the researcher was evaluated. Peer checking was ensured by
submitting transcripts, codes, themes, and sub-themes to the supervisors and an
independent coder. Transferability was obtained by using purposive sampling, working
contextually, and using a dense description. Dependability was ensured by a thick
description of data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data. Confirmability was
achieved by auditing the entire research process 18,19

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the following people: Dr Mabunda, who agreed to
be an independent recruiter; Mr Mokgaola, who agreed to co-code results; Dr Sibanda, who
edited the article.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have
inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Authors’ contributions

L.L.M. collected and analysed data. L.A.S. and D.M.K. proofread to ensure the quality of the
manuscript.

Funding information

The article is funded by North-West University (NWU) and the Health and Welfare Sector
Education and Training Authority (HWSETA).

Data availability

Data supporting the findings are available and from the corresponding author, L.L.M., upon
reasonable request.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.

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